Cattle smugglers attack BSF team on Bangla border

Jawan hurt, 1 Bangladeshi killed

New Delhi, July 8: A BSF jawan was grievously injured on Monday after armed cattle smugglers attacked a patrol team along the Indo-Bangla border in West Bengal, while a Bangladeshi man was killed in retaliatory action, officials said.

Officials said the incident took place in Malda district on the intervening night of July 7-8 when a group of about 50-60 cattle smugglers, on both sides of the border, charged at the Border Security Force patrol with arms and weapons.

The BSF had to open fire in self-defence, they said.

The border grading force first fired two rounds of non-lethal bullets from their pump action guns to disperse the attackers but the smugglers hit constable Zia-ul Haq of the 24th battalion with a “dah”, a large cleaver-shaped weapon.

Haq suffered grievous injuries on his arms and back side that led to a lot of blood loss, they said.

The BSF unit commander then ordered firing from the INSAS rifle to stop the attackers from hitting more troops.

A Bangladeshi man was killed in the firing, they said.

Deadly attacks on BSF personnel by smugglers has been a constant cause of concern and the force has taken it up numerous times with their Bangladeshi counterpart.

The BSF, on directives of the government, initiated the use of non-lethal weapons in 2011 to reduce fatal casualties on this border but the move has been seen as emboldening the smugglers resulting into deaths and grievous injuries to numerous personnel of the force.